


Returned Soul

by Lis



Category: Original Work
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Character Death, Crime, Demonic Possession, Demons, Devil, F/M, Family, Fiction, Hell, Monster - Freeform, Original Character(s), Sister - Freeform, angel - Freeform, teen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-13 01:24:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18458585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lis/pseuds/Lis
Summary: Maddie unknowingly sold her soul when she was a child, years later the Devil wants to return it for a favour.This is not like anything I have written before, so updates will be extremely slow.





	1. Chapter 1

It was mid January and we’d just had the biggest snowstorm of the season. School was cancelled the next morning and I remember being so excited to get outside to play, I didn't even let my older sister, Marnie, finish eating her breakfast. We were out the door so fast my parents barely had time to yell the usual "Be home before dark!"

We spent the whole day outside sledding, building snow forts, and playing with Darren Chase at his house a few blocks from home. We stayed at Darren's for lunch and supper. After supper Marnie and Darren insisted the three of us had to the have the biggest snow fort on the block. I liked the way we already had it, but being the youngest of the group, I didn't dare disagree. We spent hours adding tunnels and windows. Before we knew it the streetlights had started turning on around us.

"Marnie, we're gonna be late. I think we should go home." I implored my sister when I caught the flicker of a light out of the corner of my eye. I was promptly ignored and so were my next four petitions to head home.

"We're almost done, Maddie" she eventually shot back with an annoyed eye roll in Darren's direction making him chuckle. But I could see that she had finally looked around and was beginning to realize how late it had become. About five minutes later she stated that it was time to go home, as if it was her idea all along. I knew as soon as we started our trek back that we were already late. Marnie was nervous now and insisted we hurry. I remember her saying that we were in trouble, but the faster we got home, the less trouble we would be in. So we started running.

Neither of us knew at the time that running home on that cold winter evening would trigger an asthma attack in Marnie. It happened so fast, she started wheezing and then fell to the sidewalk. I knew enough to look for her inhaler, my small hands were shaking and I was terrified when I couldn't find one.

"Help! Someone help!" I screamed as she clutched onto me gasping for the air that she so desperately needed. I continued to yell. I even attempted to go get help, but she was holding onto my arm too tight and I couldn't get away. I looked around in a panic for someone, anyone that would know what to do.

That's when I saw him. Standing across the road, illuminated by a streetlight and just staring at us. I should have noticed that something was wrong. He wasn't dressed for winter standing there in jeans and a sweater in the middle of a snow covered street. The overhead light was causing a shadow to cover most of his face but I knew he was looking at me.

"Help! Please, help her! She can't breathe!" I begged as he slowly made his way across the road to us.

"I can't do anything for her" the mysterious stranger calmly said as he eyed the wheezing girl clinging to my side. "But I could do something for you" he added as he turned to face me.

"I don't need help, she does, please! You have to help her, she can't breathe!" I cried as the strange man calmly stood in front of us.

"If she can't talk and ask me for something herself, then she can't verbally agree to my terms. You see? It wouldn't follow the rules of my contract." I was confused. "You on the other hand. I could very easily make a deal with you. Would you like my help? I could save her for you. It will cost you nothing right now.” At the time I didn't understand what he was saying. Thinking back, he had to have known that.

"Yes! Please, save her!" I naively agreed. Looking up at the man who had seemingly come from nowhere.

"Shake my hand, child" he uttered as he crouched down and stuck his hand out in my direction. "Say you will trade your second life to me for saving her right now." He held his hand between us unmoving.

"Anything, anything! Please!" I shrieked and threw my hand into his to shake. 

I'll never forget the evil grin that took over his face as he grasped my hand in a firm grip. I had unknowingly just sold my soul to this man.

The next few moments were a blur. The man reached out to Marnie and put the palm of his hand to her forehead. The wheezing stopped as she went limp against my side. I blinked, unsure of what this man had just done to my sister. 

As if the life had been thrown back into her, she sat up with a deep inhale of air and began to cough. Grabbing her in the tightest hug my eight year old self was capable of, I missed the moment the man stood up. 

"Marnie?" I whispered almost inaudible as I felt her breathing return to normal.

"What happened?" Marnie choked out as she began to tear my arms off of her in an attempt to stand up.

I spun around and did a quick scan of the dark street we were now alone on. The man was gone.

"He saved you" I tried to explain "I think he was magic." Convincing myself that a magic man had come to our rescue.

"Don't be ridiculous, I just caught my breathe is all, Maddie" Marnie retorted quickly. She had not seen the man. "We are so late now" she added as she grabbed my hand and began to drag me towards our house.

"Maybe we should walk the rest of the way" I commented as she slowed down to match my pace.

We told our parents everything when we got home, they rushed Marnie to the hospital immediately. There were no signs of an asthma attack having taken place, that coupled with my story of the stranger in the street led my parents to the decision that we made it all up.

"I'm not lying!" I cried out in desperation, willing anyone to believe me. But they didn't. I eventually stopped trying.


	2. Chapter 2

Now fourteen years later, I'm twenty-two years old and still haunted by the events of that evening. I no longer bring up the man to Marnie, she never really believed me anyways, and our parents have long since forgotten about that day. 

I used to have nightmares that slowly turned turned into dreams and eventually tapered off to nothing. The stranger no longer torments my sleep, but I will never forget him. I see his face in crowds, only to blink him away moments later. I have tried for years to shrug off the memory but I can’t seem to shake the strange feeling deep inside myself that I have had since that winter day.

“Marnie hurry up, we are going to be late because of you!” I screamed up the stairs at my sister while listening to her race around from room to room grabbing her things.

“I’m almost done packing, hold on! It’s my flight anyways, why do you care if I’m late?”

“I want you out of my house!” I answered her question with a laugh, hearing her chuckle too.

“You had all day to pack and you start five minutes before its time to leave…” I mumbled to myself, not really expecting much else from her. She has never been the type to plan ahead.

By the time I had eventually gotten Marnie out my front door and down the driveway to my awaiting car we were only 25 minutes late, a new record really. Now I have to speed and make a few rolling stops to try and get us back on schedule.

My sister has spent the last week at my house and we are both excited for her to go home. We love each other dearly, but she is the exact opposite of me. She’s loud, wild, promiscuous, and messy. A week is about all we can take of each other.

We grew up as close as sisters can be. She visits me every few months, knowing I would go crazy if I had spend any length of time at her apartment with her crazy roommates. They are more wild than she is, and thats saying something. 

“Wow, Mad. Better slow down, isn’t five over the speed limit too dangerous for you?” Marnie teased.

“I wouldn’t have to speed if you knew what time management was.” I shot back fighting the urge to cross my arms and pout like a child.

“Oh come on, Maddie. I’m just bugging. You know I love when you drive like an old lady.” She wasn’t helping my desire to pout.

I pulled up to the airport with not a minute to spare. There was just enough time for the usual “goodbye, I’ll miss you, and come back soon” talk while we got Marnies bags out of the trunk. 

With a quick hug and wave I watched her walk off to be someone else’s problem. I was finally free to go back home and enjoy some peace and quiet.

I took the long way home. Purposely driving below the speed limit when possible, I wanted to take my time. Quiet drives around this city calm me down and as happy as I am to have my house back to myself, I am not too excited to be all alone again. 

“I should get a roommate.” I let my mind wander while I talked to myself. I could never get a roommate, I may get lonely from time to time but I enjoy having my own space. “Maybe I should just get a goldfish, I’m sure they’d make good company.”

Before I knew it my relaxing drive was over and I was pulling into my driveway. Home sweet home, at last.

I groaned aloud when I walked up to my front door and was able to turn the handle without the key. Marnie had forgotten to lock it during her mad dash to the car this morning. I gave a quick glance around but I didn’t expect to see anything. I was only gone for an hour or so, and I live in a safe family neighbourhood with a low crime rate.

She is going to be the death of me. I thought to myself while bending down to take my shoes off just inside the entryway. I moved slowly, trying to procrastinate what I knew was coming next. My sister may be gone, but now the real work begins, cleaning up after her.

I spent the rest of the day cleaning one room after another. I didn’t realize at the time because I was downstairs waiting for her, but Marnie really trashed the place while she was packing to leave. She went through all my stuff, who knows what clothes she stole in the process.

“This is never ending.” I whined out loud as I passed by my office and saw that the Marnie tornado touched this room too.

As I trudged into the office and began straightening up the papers on my desk I heard a sound downstairs. Stopping my work, I carefully stepped out into the hallway and crept closer to the stairs. It was a scratching sound, but it was faint, like it was far away. 

Steeling my nerves and making a possibly stupid decision, I quietly snuck down the staircase, cellphone in hand ready to call the police if need be. I paused halfway through my descent to listen.

The sound was louder, but from here I could now tell where it was coming from. Something was scratching on the outside of my front door. Rapid little sounds were heard before it suddenly stopped. I was frozen on the stairs in an eery silence, the only sound was my breathing.

The doorbell rang loudly throughout the house and I must have jumped at least a foot in the air. I was afraid to go closer and answer the door but my thoughts were cut off by another ring and a quick knock.

The knocking kicked me back into reality and I ran to the door and peeked through the peephole. On the other side of the door was a little girl. I watched as she quickly knocked again yelling out a “Hello?”.

“Hi, can I help you?” I asked hesitantly, cracking the door open in front of me.

“I found your dog. He ran out into the road and almost got hit by a car, you should be more careful.” The little girl said in a stern voice, glaring at me while gesturing to her feet.

When I looked down I noticed a small puppy running circles around the child. The puppy stopped and looked at me. We stared at each other for a minute before it barked and bolted towards my feet. I quickly stepped outside and slammed the door behind me so it wouldn’t run inside.

“I’m sorry but thats not my dog.” As I spoke to the girl the dog started scratching at the door trying to get inside. Now I know what that sound was.

“Yes it is, look he’s trying to get in.” She said like I was a moron, pointing at the small animal.

“No, I’m sorry. I don’t have a dog …” The conversation was now getting awkward, it was obvious that the girl didn’t believe me.

“You have to keep him, Miss. I can’t take him home and I don’t know what else to do with him.” The child began to tear up as she picked up the puppy and held him out for me to take.

“I can’t …”

“You can’t leave him outside alone!” She, very over dramatically, yelled at me. I was beginning to feel like a monster.

“Okay, okay. Calm down, I’ll take him. I wouldn’t dream of leaving him alone!” I was quick to reassure her and grab the dog before she could start to yell again.

The little girl smiled from ear to ear and turned around to leave. I watched her skip off down to the sidewalk and stood there watching her until she was out of view. That was definitely one of the strangest encounters I have ever had.

The little dog squirmed in my arms trying to climb my chest and lick at my face. I giggled when it succeeded and deemed the animal safe enough to take inside. It was rather cute, surly someone would come looking for it soon.

“Well, Puppy.” I spoke entering my home, closing the front door behind us. “Looks like its just you and me, are you hungry?” 

I set the small animal down in the hallway and strolled to the kitchen. I stood at the counter and quickly googled what a dog can eat besides store bought dog-food. After reading for a few minutes I chose something easy, lightly cooked steak.

After the puppy was fed, I put it out into the backyard and returned to my previous task of cleaning the house. This time I was in a hurry, I didn’t want to leave the puppy alone too long. If I’m being honest, I wanted to go play with it before his owners came to collect him.


End file.
